be thankful

Do you want to be happier? Who wouldn’t respond with a resounding yes? Do you want to be more at ease, relaxed? Be around nicer people that are easier to get along with?

Silly questions some would say; these are things we all want. And we do want to be happy, relaxed, at ease, oh yes we do! And all those things can be yours in greater abundance. The path forward is a simple one yet not always an easy one. Habits can take resolve to change; world views, even ones that hinder us can take multiple, sustained efforts to shed.

Here’s the key: Give Thanks Every Day of Your Life. Deep, Heart Felt Thanks. Make the Giving of Thanks an integral part of your daily (Hourly! Moment by Moment!) routine. Make your list of things to be grateful for, things big and small. Think of it often, add to it frequently. Make it a point to send two appreciation emails before you leave the house. Give a genuine compliment every hour of the day. Smile. Look for things to smile about, then share your smile. The more you look for things to appreciate, the more you will find. How we act, our moods, our attitudes make a difference. We are a social species. I was driving to work the other day and I saw two folks smiling and laughing over their dogs’ antics; I caught a smile that lasted almost all the way to the office. 

Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude leads to the Habit of Happiness.  It sounds so simple that some discard it, sure that happiness lies in a bigger salary, a promotion, a new relationship, whatever. All potentially worthy goals BUT not the key to happiness. Inner change usually must precede outer change.

Closing Quotes

“He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has.” – Epictetus

“Today I will judge nothing that occurs. I will release all thoughts that hurt. All that I give to others, I give to myself.” – A Course In Miracles

As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier